Bird's Nest opens winter snow gala

The iconic showpiece Bird's Nest has kicked off a winter wonderland in its bid to deal with its post-Olympic economic difficulty.

The 57,000 sq m area offers a ski slope, ice rink, snow sculptures and snow mountain and scooters. A total of 5,000 seats in the south part of the stadium have been removed and built into a snow slope.

According to Yang Cheng, the deputy general manager of National Stadium Co Ltd, the snow fun will be accompanied by festive activities, including rock and roll concerts, a Christmas celebration and a New Year's Eve party.